Poulter only needed 10 putts on the back nine.
Self-confidence’s Ian Poulter shot a seven-under-par 65 to grab a share of the overnight lead on Thursday at the 2012 Players Championship.
The strongest indication yet that his star is once again on the rise, the Ryder Cup veteran attributed his success to the completion of a protracted family relocation.
According to Poulter, the move – from one to Florida mansion to another – compromised his ability to concentrate on the golf course.
“I felt myself on the golf course but being able to turn off and on – concentration levels – not thinking about anything else apart from golf, which is always handy. I do fill my brain full of lots of funny things at times. It’s nice when that’s empty and I can do what it is I love to do, and that’s go out there and play golf…”
The 36-year-old, no stranger to ostentation, was characteristically unapologetic about his determination to enjoy the finer things in life.
“I’m not a moving freak. I just like nice things. So I guess, you know, you upgrade things as you go along… I’ve had a few upgrades over the years. But this one being a big one and being a stressful one – two years and nine months is abnormally long to build a house…
“Yeah, hopefully it kind of keeps me settled for a few more years (smiling).”
A round of seven-under-par is, by any yardstick, a spectacular round of golf, but Poulter’s route to the clubhouse was extra special, statistically speaking at least.
Beginning on the ninth hole, he enjoyed a streak of nine consecutive single-putt greens. The run only came to an end – six birdies later – on the 18th, when a regulation two-putt brought his tally for the back nine to 31 shots.
It brought back memories of his days as a junior in Milton Keynes.
“I can’t remember where it [it happened before], but I can recollect it. Yeah, I think I’ve had 21 putts in a round of golf before; back to the good old days as a junior. You have to hole it from everywhere – that was nice…
“But the surface this week is the best I’ve ever seen it. You know, if you’ve got your eye in on these greens and you do start it online, you should expect a ball certainly from 20 feet and in to go in. I mean, they are absolutely perfect.”
At seven-under-par for the tournament, Poulter begins the second round tied at the top of the leaderboard with Scotland’s Martin Laird. The pair enjoy a one-shot over Blake Adams.
Conor Nagle
sounds like a spoiled brat.
Great impact picture of Poulter.
He’s not a spoiled brat at all – quite the opposite. He appreciates his wealth, all of which is self made. Not for him the rich parents and the US college, he had to come up the tough way, selling tees and changing grips as an assistant pro at his local club.
He is a good family man and loves his wife and children.
His taste in clothes and the soccer team he supports is a bit dodgy but other than that he is one of the good guys and he deserves his success.
Poulter can be flash but “spoiled brat” is unfair.
He has earned everything through sheer graft, turning pro with a 4 handicap, being an assistant in the shop and working his way up. No golf scholarships or Country Club leg ups.
Greenfee, interesting phrase, “sheer graft.” I googled it and learned that it means something like hard work/grinding – where in the UK is that from? (As an American with close Scottish roots, I thought I’d heard them all!)
Hmm. I dig Poulter, always have, but building a house shouldn’t distract you from your game. Sex scandals or bad break-ups or having a newborn baby, sure, but a lengthy house construction? That’s what’s knocking you off your game while in the prime of your career? C’mon, man.
You have to love Poulter’s story. The guy has pretty average natural talent as golfer, but he’s gotten to the very highest level by clawing, scratching, grinding, and digging his swing out of the dirt.
I mean, the guy turned pro when he was a -4 index. I’m a -4 index!!! I cannot possibly imagine the amount of work it would take to get on Tour from where I am now. I had the chance to play 18 holes with Ryan Palmer at a charity event a few years ago, and he was so much better than me it was stupid. I could practice 10 hours a day for 5 years and probably still not be half as good as Palmer. Poulter, on the other hand, managed to pull this off, and, in fact, he’s demonstrably better than Palmer. You have to have a tremendous amount of respect for Poulter.
@D_H I’m from Yorkshire in northern England. We all graft up here tha’ knows!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo
If he wins maybe he could buy his own plane instead of bumming rides of Tiger – who btw, called him “Poults” yesterday. Kind of alot of nerve on Tiger when you have been publicy outed for hating the guy.
Have no issues with people enjoying their success. Good for Ian Poulter. I don’ t think he’s that good and likely to get less than 10 Wins on Tour. Look at JJ Henry..lots of wealth..not that much success
Stones and glass houses with Poulter. He does come across as an arrogant pri*k a lot of the time. The one pro I know personally absolutely despises Poulter. At the HSBC Champions in Shanghai a few years ago someone stole Poulter’s driver out of his bag when it was stored in a players only area. There were a lot of chuckles with that one. Then again he doesn’t seem so bad in interviews and I totally respect the fact that his success is 100% self-made. If he wants to be an ass at least he earned the right. I prefer the Mickelson type: graceful all the time and gives back 10x more than anyone knows about because he doesn’t crow about it.
Datou – if no one knows about how much Phil gives – how do you know?
So you get a mansion by being an average golfer.? The money has made the sport a joke!